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Topic: Anyone know this group (Read 2200 times)

I was called today by another beekeeper concerning this organization posted below. He asked me if I knew who ran it, where if any money has been sent, and other questions. I have not heard of them before. The website makes it sound if there is some sort of members, but lists nothing. It mentions they are set up to do things, but does not list any contribution. It mentions a 501(c) (3) but if you read the fine print, they are not licensed as such.

Anyone know anything about this site? Is it legit? Is it a scam to take advantage of the public awareness from the recent bee media blitz?

I looked over this site and it seems to be more of an educational site more than anything else. It is not really soliciting funds in an overt way, so I would say it is not a scam per se. When you go to donate it takes you to Paypal, so there is another layer of protection as well as you are not giving your info to an unknown third party. However as to whether they are a legit nonprofit org, I dont know, but a call to New York state folks would at least tell you if they are applying for NP status or not. If you are passionate about what they advocate <and since you are a member here chances are good you are>, try some of their listed activities and organize things in your area, planting flowers and cleaning up as well as other "good stewardship" activities dont hand them cash directly but aid the cause.

If you look at the fine print on the bottom of the giving page. They are applying for the 501c3 status, which would make your contributions tax deductable. Its under review, so I'm assuming they have filed an application and are waiting on the IRS to make a determination. I'd tell your friend to call them and find out what they are trying to accomplish- where's the money going and what they are trying to accomplish.

If you look at the fine print on the bottom of the giving page. They are applying for the 501c3 status, which would make your contributions tax deductable. Its under review, so I'm assuming they have filed an application and are waiting on the IRS to make a determination. I'd tell your friend to call them and find out what they are trying to accomplish- where's the money going and what they are trying to accomplish.

my .02

Ok....got a phone number?

Some of the discussion with the person trying to find out about this group, was conversations with other well know people in the industry. And NOBODY has a clue to who runs this outfit. The bee industry is a small one. I could mention first names like Dewey, Kim, Jim, Ross, Kirk, Dennis, Nancy, Dave, and a host of beekeepers, researchers, etc. Everyone knows everyone. But nobody knows of the honey bee conservancy.

I'm just trying to find something out about them. I do not want to judge them. But as of yet, nobody has a clue. Are they beekeepers? Or just slick marketers taking advantage of the bee crisis? The website mentions not one project that has been donated too, or a plan of one in the future as far as I read. It is a site that lists no members, no names, no board, no address other than a Post Office box, and not one picture. Just multiple ways to donate money, then advice on how you can help....plant a flower.

Are they beekeepers? Or just slick marketers taking advantage of the bee crisis? The website mentions not one project that has been donated too, or a plan of one in the future as far as I read. It is a site that lists no members, no names, no board, no address other than a Post Office box, and not one picture. Just multiple ways to donate money, then advice on how you can help....plant a flower.

a little odd at this point.

VERY odd. I had the same reaction when I looked at the site - no real info on who they were or what they were all about, just a warm fuzzy "help the bees" site with different ways to donate $.Color me "suspicious".

At least the news release answers one question....the person in charge, and the only name attached to the conservancy thus far, is not a beekeeper. No wonder others have no clue about this organization. They kept asking high profile beekeepers and people in the bee community, and left many scratching their heads.

I need to look into putting out my own "stuff" on a site such as pr dot com ;)

Here's the site's WHOIS listing. There's no substantive information on this site and no entity in NY state with the name "honeybee conservancy" or anything close. Anybody can set up a Paypal account, cheap website and a Facebook group. There is nothing here that leads me to believe my donation will go anywhere except somebody's hip pocket.

Before we get snarky, let's get the facts. Same guy has 7 registered domains (looked at the whois record a couple days ago). He has the same name as a honey bee researcher in South America. Much of the press in which he is quoted seems to be linked to the NYC initiative to allow beekeeping. Guessing it is political but I don't know a thing. Been watching too many West Wing episodes here :-\

Logged

On PleasureKahlil Gibran....And to both, bee and flower, the giving and the receiving of pleasure is a need and an ecstasy.People of Orphalese, be in your pleasures like the flowers and the bees.

Before we get snarky, let's get the facts. Same guy has 7 registered domains (looked at the whois record a couple days ago). He has the same name as a honey bee researcher in South America. Much of the press in which he is quoted seems to be linked to the NYC initiative to allow beekeeping. Guessing it is political but I don't know a thing. Been watching too many West Wing episodes here :-\

I don't watch TV but I have seen a few internet scams out there. This is a site and facebook group with nothing but copied content asking you to donate money. Anybody can make a press release (www.prweb.com) and anybody can claim they are under review as a 501c3. It doesn't look like he has an entity in NY and you can't become a 501c3 as a sole proprietor.

Charity scams have increased significantly in the last year. This is a good tool to review charities if you are looking to give. http://www.charitynavigator.org/